Biographical Note:

Robert W. MacVicar, OSU President from 1970 to 1984, was born at Princeton, Minnesota
on September 28, 1918. He attended the University of
Wyoming, graduating with honors in 1939 with a B.S. degree in Chemistry. He was awarded
a Rhodes Scholarship in 1939, but he was unable to attend
due to World War II. MacVicar continued his education at Oklahoma State University
where he received a masters degree in Chemistry in 1940. After
serving in the Army from 1939 to 1945, MacVicar attended the University of Wisconsin,
where he completed his Ph.D. in Biochemistry in 1946.

MacVicar returned to Oklahoma State as Associate Professor in Agricultural Chemistry
Research and Chemistry and as Professor of Biochemistry
from 1946-1964. He served as Dean of the Graduate School at Oklahoma State from 1953
to 1964. From 1957 to 1964 MacVicar also served as Vice
President for Academic Affairs. He became Chancellor of Southern Illinois University
at Carbondale in 1968.

MacVicar came to Oregon State University in 1970 where he served as President until
his retirement in 1984. He simultaneously held the position
of Professor of Chemistry. During President MacVicar's tenure in office, the decentralization
of the top administration of the university began,
when he added a number of vice presidents. After his retirement, he was named Professor
Emeritus of Chemistry and President Emeritus, Special
Assistant to the Chancellor. He also served as Acting President of the College of
Ganado, a small college in Arizona, for seven months in
1985.

In 1983-1984 MacVicar served on the Tanzania Study Team at the Sokoine University
of Agriculture. He was honorary chair for the State of Oregon
of the United Nations Day Committee for 1990 and 1991. He also served as the chair
of the Benton/Corvallis Library Art Committee for
1990-1991.